Roseanne Barr’s 19-Year Romance with BF Outlasted Her Marriages — She ‘Almost Lost’ Her Mind When They Met

Roseanne Barr was married three times before meeting the love of her life, but her unions all ended in divorce. Eventually, she met a man she almost lost her mind over. They have been together for close to two decades and are still going strong.

Actress and Comedian Roseanne Barr married her first husband, Bill Pentland, in 1974. The pair met while Pentland worked as an executive consultant on the “Roseanne” show.

They hit it off immediately and went on to get married and welcome three children; Jessica, Jennifer, and Jake. Unfortunately, after 16 years, they ended their union in 1990.

Roseann Barr with her husband Bill Pentland on January 01, 1990 | Source: Getty Images

Disheartening as it was for a 16-year marriage to end, Barr gave love another chance, marrying Tom Arnold the same year her divorce from Pentland became final.

Despite being irredeemably in love with Arnold, Barr’s close family and friends were always wary of him. However, he promised to protect her from the naysayers if only she agreed to marry him.

Barr cut off everyone that discouraged her from being with Arnold, including her manager, Arlyne Rothberg, her sister, Geraldine, and her lawyer, Barry Hirsch. The lovebirds eventually married in 1990. Unfortunately, things did not work out between them, and they divorced in 1994.

Roseanne Barr & Tom Arnold during 1992 Cable ACE Awards in Los Angeles, California, United States on January 9, 1992 | Source: Getty Images

While they did not have children together, they remained good friends throughout the years, with Arnold presenting on “The Roast of Roseanne Barr” in 2012.

Undeterred by her two failed marriages, Barr dipped her foot in the dating pool again and was lucky to find love with her former bodyguard, Ben Thomas.

They married in 1995 and became parents to their son, Buck, the same year. The marriage lasted slightly longer than her second, and the two split after seven years together.

Roseanne Barr & Ben Thomas on September 06 1997 | Source: Getty Images

Barr was heartbroken after her third marriage failed, but in retrospect, it all happened for a reason. After splitting from Thomas, she finally met the man who would make her heart sing and who, despite not marrying, she’d dated for close to two decades.

MEETING THE LOVE OF HER LIFE

Barr was ready to move on with her life after the third divorce, but fate had other plans. After running a writing competition on her blog, she connected with Johnny Argent, a writer.

They talked on the phone for a year, never meeting in person. Barr fell in love with his voice, but Argent would never as much as send her his photo because he was not sure how she would feel about his appearance. Barr would tease, saying:

“I told him, ‘I don’t care if you’re an amputee, I just care if you have teeth’ – teeth are pretty important.”

Eventually, they arranged to meet. Argent flew in as Barr waited at the airport in a car with a driver. As she impatiently waited for him to arrive, she kept wondering whether she was doing the right thing.

Roseanne Barr and Johnny Argent are seen in Hollywood on June 24, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

She sat there thinking that he must be not-so-good looking and yet convincing herself that she did not care about his appearance. When he finally came through the door, Barr was pleasantly surprised. She recalled:

“He opened the door, and I almost lost my mind. He was the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.”

Since the first meeting, the two have been inseparable. While Barr considers Argent a little feminine, the comedian says they are kindred spirits. She loves the unique things about him, one being how Argent lived in the desert like a hermit with just the books he wrote for her.

Alongside her photos of her family — her mother, sons, and daughters — on her computer, she also has pictures of the tall, chiseled, and elegant Argent.

Away from his looks and unforgettable lustrous grey hair, Argent is a writer, producer, composer, and music arranger, among many other titles. His work credits include writing and producing “Downwardly Mobile,” “The Tipping Point,” and “Rockin’ with Roseanne.”

TWO DECADES LATER AND STILL GOING STRONG

Argent and Barr’s romance has only strengthened over the past 19 years. Their relationship has outlasted all her past marriages, even though she and Argent are yet to tie the knot.

Despite Barr being a constant in the limelight, with her numerous projects in sitcoms, film, books, and her talk show, she has managed to keep her relationship low-key for the most part.

However, in a rare public appearance, Barr and her beau were spotted on June 25, dancing and sipping red wine at a food festival in Los Angeles.

Barr wore a simple t-shirt and jeans, completing the look with a baseball cap and glasses to remain incognito. On the other hand, Argent wore black pants paired with a white polo shirt and dark glasses. The two appeared to enjoy their day as they swayed to the music.

Johnny Argent and Roseanne Barr are seen at ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ on March 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

The sighting came only days after Barr went on a profane rant after a photographer questioned her about how her character would be killed off when the show returns as The Conners next month. Barr shared her frustrations:

“It’s so cynical and horrible. She should have died as a hero or not at all. It wasn’t enough to [fire me]. They had to so cruelly insult the people who loved that family and that show.”

However, it was not the first time Barr went off on someone. In May, the comedian was fired from the top-rated reboot of her self-titled series by ABC for making racist comments against Valerie Jarrett, a senior advisor to former President Obama.

Argent, who has always supported and defended Barr, once again came to her rescue, saying there was no racist bone in her body.

Today, Barr and Argent enjoy a quiet life at the comedian’s 2,212 square-foot residence in Hawaii, where they have embraced the serene life on the 46-acre property.

While they’ve generally managed to keep their relationship private, they are often spotted out and about. Barr also usually posts clips and photos of her boyfriend on her Instagram.

In April 2021, Barr showed off Argent’s beautiful voice and piano skills after sharing a video of him playing piano and singing along in the living room of their home.

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